An amended transcript of the rare bird alert (834-2473 in New Orleans or 877-834-2473 for toll free access) for this week is included in this post. Please let me know if I have left out any significant sightings or if you have more details for the sightings in this report. Send an Email to me at lehmane@gateway.net. I will be rerecording this message today.

This is the Louisiana Rare bird alert dated Wednesday, December 23rd. This alert is sponsored by the Louisiana Ornithological Society and the Orleans Audubon Society.

A Tropical Parula is in the Shreveport area near Lake Cross. The bird is most commonly seen in a residential neighborhood on private property.

A White-tailed Hawk continues to be seen at the Welsh landfill. Take the I-10 to the Welsh exit and take the service road West to Landfill Road and turn north. This bird has been lately seen on the power lines along Landfill Road. An immature, dark phase Rough-legged Hawk has also been reported from the same area.

Sandhill Cranes have been seen near Lake Arthur and Cameron. They are encountered flying in small flocks of twenty to forty birds.

A Brant was seen on the Lacassine-Thornwell CBC. It is found with other geese south of highway 14 along the East side of Goose Island Road near a hunt club. A Vermillion Flycatcher was also found near the hunt club.

A Cinnamon Teal was seen in the Lacassine Pool near the observation tower.

Short-eared Owls have been reported over rice fields East of Thornwell. From Lake Arthur take highway 14 west to Jennings Road and turn right. In the evening look for roosting Northern Harriers and the Owls are seen in the same area.

A flock of over 2,000 Ross's Geese was reported near the intersection of LA 380 and LA 382 on the Lacassine CBC.

In Cameron, Black-throated Green Warblers were seen in the oak trees in front of the Courthouse.

Harris's Sparrow and Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen in a brush pile about one-quarter mile west of the jetty in Cameron. The site is accessed by going to the caution light on Highway 32 in Cameron near the Catholic church and turning south. Continue along this road past the PHI heliport and when the road turns into a gravel pavement turn right on the next paved road. Follow this road to a sharp right curve and park well off the road. Continue on foot along this road to another sharp right curve. At this point cross over or under the gate at the curve and walk east into the field toward a row of live oaks. Just past this long row (island) of live oaks will be about 50 yards of a brush-pile of salt cedar on your right. The Golden-crowned Sparrow was found lurking in this brush-pile.

A Yellow-headed Blackbird was found near the sewage pond off of East Jetty Road in Cameron.

A Yellow Rail was found north of Mud Lake near Magnolia Road off of Highway 27 near Cameron.

Three different Bell's Vireos have been seen in the cheniers outside of Cameron and Johnson's Bayou. One vireo was seen at the "secret place" near Johnson's Bayou. It is west of the pond in the acacia trees. The other birds are on private property.

A Bullock's Oriole was found near Holly Beach.

An adult male Vermillion flycatcher is at the Sabine National Wildlife Headquarters, It is found in the trees or on the fences around the three ponds behind and beside the headquarters.

A Buff-bellied Hummingbird was seen visiting Turk's Cap flowers at the Peveto Woods Sanctuary.

An Ash-throated flycatcher was seen in Grand Chenier on private property.

A duck, initially identified as a Baikal Teal but may very well be a hybrid teal form, was seen by many observers in a pond near Holly Beach. The bird is on a pond accessed by a private, gated road owned by Fina Oil Company.

A Black-legged Kittiwake was observed on the beach south of Creole.

Buff-bellied and Broad-billed hummingbirds continue to be reported at the Louisiana Nature and Science center in East New Orleans. The birds are found in the butterfly garden or the feeding stations outside the Interpretive Center.